First time dispensing

First time doing dispensing….extemporaneous dispensing (Extemporaneous dispensing is the compounding of ingredients to prepare a medicine for an individual patient)…It is for the first time I feel the feeling what pharmacist in the past used to do and it is kind of funny having the fact that I am already a second year, 4^thsemester pharmacy student. Anyway, leave the syllabus aside. I actually find my first time experience a fun and a fresh one having able to touch and mix and stir drugs, mixing difference ingredients and formulate it into something that is actually to be taken by real human. It is something like baking a cake with a recipe in front of u if u wanna visualize, just that this is one the ingredients are of much smaller dimensions (I wonder if it is easier and familiar for those who are good at cooking and baking, since they are used to mixing and all..ahem..hehe)…

Back to the topic, imagine the patients are going to swallow what you have prepared; how accurate u weight and measure each and every compound of the ingredients, how clean and sterile the instruments we use and how skillful we are in mixing the formulations determine the quality and condition of the drug itself when they receive and popped the medicine into their mouth. Quite challenging in a sense, but fun and adventures despite the heavy responsibilities put upon our shoulders. I like the mixing and stirring, seeing the solutions immerse in each other giving shiny silver reflections* it’s as if the liquids are dancing gleefully in the solutions. It brings out the inner joy in me despite the fact that I had to rush during my lab session and the stirring process could be quite stressful to our triceps and biceps..:P

I made three solutions today; 200ml of Potassium Citrate Mixture for the treatment of mild urinary tract infection, 100ml of Ferrous Sulphate Oral Solution 50mg/5ml as supplement for the iron-deficient anaemia and 20ml of Sodium Bicarbonate Ear Drops to remove ear wax by softening it. Kinda proud of my first three drugs freshly prepared by me..hehe.. :p

Since I only did formulations for oral solution drugs this time around, will write my other experiences with other forms of formulations next time. :)

*the reflections came about when I added syrup into the double strength chloroform water :p

This week was an extremely busy and demanding week for me. Had meetings non-stop for the whole week and I just made the record of having meetings for 15 hours non-stop in one day alone (Tuesday 26/6). Currently still in a midst of chaos and stress trying to get things work and organized; having to juggle with my heavy lectures and studies as well. Luckily yesterday get to go out for makan gathering in Hoi Peng Seafood Restaurant in SS2 with my speaking course mates. Eating a good one can really reduce stress. Thanks guys! :)

After the Storm

Here are some of the pictures I took after the storm over the past few days. Enjoy ;) (Of course, the third picture don't count :P)







seehua

Spring 2007: After the rain

That strip ruined the otherwise nice picture. By the time i realized it, it's already too dark *bummer*

Journey called Life (Smile)

Smile at the world, and it will smile back at you ;)


seehua
after reading this post, go and take this test to see if you can spot a faked smile... I got 17 out of 20. For most info, read this post from Chang Yang's blog

Journey called Life (Keeping in Touch)

source

When you are away from your friends, what do you to keep in touch with your friends? Calls? Postcards? Gifts?

Most of us have our very own internet connections and our own IM (Instant Messaging) clients that enabled us to chat in real time, enabling levels of communications that haven't been there even as recent as 5 years ago. The instantaneous transmission of information through the internet had taken down the barriers of distance, and with the rising popularity of video enabled chat, it seems as if the person is sitting right in front of us, talking the time away. Of course, the only thing that is missing is the same environment and touch :p

For me, to compliment the electronic form of communication, I do send a lot of cards for lots of occasions to my friends all over the world. Most of the time there will be lots of postcards that are sent out almost every month now to quite a lot of people to let them know that I still remember them. It's always nice to get emails telling me that they have received their cards and how much they like it. Occasionally, I do send out birthday cards to the people whose birthday still haven't escaped my memory. (Sorry Kim, always got your birthday wrong at 28th of June. Like i said, too many people having birthdays at the same stretch of time :p) There was one time when Jo Ling told me not to send her anymore post cards because I am making her feeling guilty (for not sending anything back). Well, for me, it's the intentions that really count. I am not hoping that you guys return my gestures, just want to let you guys know that I still do remember you :)

The second thing that I always like to do is to call people (Esther, I am still laughing at your "reaction" :P) out of no time. Hehe... Seems like taking people by surprise is still one of my very strong points after all. Then again, there seemed to be people who cannot be contacted by phone (like Kean Aun and his phone which is used to boil porridge, or Boon Phiaw who never answers his phone). For these people, I won't bother to kacau them with their stuffs... *grins*

That's all about my simple post this time. It's time for me to go oi oi liao. Good night everybody


seehua
*Let's create a world full of LOVE~
Just took out 3 of my wisdom teeth last Monday. The stitches are still there to help the gum heal faster, and I think I am pretty sick of eating liquid foods liao. On the other hand, I think I like the porridges that I have been cooking... hehe... Anyway, if there are enough demands, i think i will post the gory details of the operation later on :p

written this post after the stupid windows installation CD refused to boot properly, leaving me a bit out of way to reinstall my copy of windows..

Happy (belated) Fathers' Day

Ya, ya, i know it's kinda late and fathers' day was last Sunday, i was at a NoGAPS (National Gathering Of Pharmacy Students) camp that time and ya, life has been very busy lately.

Here's a speech i wrote for a public speaking competition I had in April this year. This speech is dedicated to my dearest dad and mum (especially dad coz it's fathers' day ma..hehe). I love you mum and dad. :)

I am contestant no 10, my name is Chai Hung Jen. The topic of my speech tonight is

Adversity or Opportunity

Brothers and sisters, imagine in the dark and narrow, long and winding roads with only one headlamp of an old bicycle shinning through 26-mile journey in the wee hours. How do you feel?

Every day, rain or shine, he never failed to pedal his way to quench his thirst for knowledge.

Years passed, he became the youngest headmaster of at times.

Adversity never exists in his vocabulary, but only opportunity. He is none other than my dearest father.

One day, my dad said this to me while I was a little child, “Jen, adversity is never and should never be an excuse to stop us from succeeding our life.” Those words kept ringing in my head since then.

I was taught to be independent since the tender age of 4.

I was taught to go to kindergarten by the school bus on my own.

I was taught to solve my own problems and make my own decisions since young.

My dad always made it a point to come home every weekend to shower us his unconditional love.

My dad is not a millionaire to provide us with endless cash, but he provides us with endless knowledge, endless care and endless love.

My dad intentionally gave me nothing because he believes that if a parent gives a child everything, this will kill a child’s hunger for success.

Only with a strong desire to succeed, one will work towards it no matter how tough the journey may be. With a strong will to succeed, when the going gets tough, the tough gets going.

Like our famous inventor, Thomas Edison put it, “In the middle of difficulty lays opportunity.” As long as we are willing to take on the challenge, every moment can be seized as opportunity to succeed.

Helen Keller, blind and deaf at tender age, mastered Braille against all odds. She altered the world’s perceptions of the disabled. She remapped the boundaries of sight and sense.

Brothers and sisters, with my dad and Helen Keller as my mentors, I am inspired to achieve all that I am truly capable. Adversities can never be my excuses from developing my full potential. Life's battles don't always go to the stronger man, but a man who think he can."

Brothers and sisters, let us march towards our quest for success despite of adversities; let us never, never, never wallow in adversities; let us turn adversities into our stepping stones for greatness.

Sadhu, sadhu, sadhu.

p.s: Special thanks to my mentors Bro Stanley Cham and Bro Gavin for editing my speech. :)

What are you looking at?

While chatting with Jen, this picture came up... :p

Spring 2007: Flower

I am not sure what is the name of this flower though... hehe... pardon my ignorance...

Realisation Part 9: Slowing down

*Life's the most beautiful of all out there, slow down and have a look around, there are much things not to be missed~

How many of us actually noticed these words at the end of this blog each time you read? No, i don't. Scrolling all the way down to the page is not my habit and if I do, it means I had not been reading the blog for ages. I hit the bottom of the page just now and I saw these words. These words are there all the time, but I never noticed them often.

Looking at these words reminds me about what I told Casper two weeks ago. I was telling him about how quality of life can be deteriorated with the increasing speed of life. About my life being so fast that I hardly have time to enjoy the cooling breeze caressing my face or the beautiful stars in the sky gazing at me at night or just sit down and watch the kids play. Life has passed by so swiftly and I hardly noticed the changes around me, the changes in others and changes in myself. Things that I once look into its details has left at its macro view and gross judgment. I really had missed so much.

After going through almost 4 months of tip top madness made me realized while I gain experience, knowledge and ideas through the madness, I lose something more important in life. I lost the sight of the beauty of mother nature. I lost the sight of the beauty of silence and solitude. I lost the sight of the beauty of thoughts, care and love. I spend lesser and lesser time with myself and more and more time on others and matters. The mind is always so preoccupied with endless thinking and ideas which often makes me more absent minded than ever.

In life, we always need to reflect upon ourselves for us to go further. Life has been too fast for me. It's time to slow down and reflect. A moment in life will only come once; once we lose it, it'll never come back. I can't afford to lose too many of those scarce moments. It's time for me to cherish them more. Have you been cherishing yours too? If not, now is the time. :)


p.s: The writer here has only been back home for 3 days out of her 38days of holidays. She just got back home again today. She will really spend the remaining 4days of holidays wisely before the madness begins again on Monday...

p.p.s: Although the theme of this blog is living in the present, the author can also sometimes go off track :p Am working on going back on track.

Freedom

The price of freedom is responsibility, but it's a bargain, because freedom is priceless.

Hugh Downs

Gifts

Something Jen gave me some time ago... Shooting at maximum zoom, it requires quite an effort to hold my camera steady... :p

Journey called Life...(Gratitude)

I am grateful that I can get myself awake for another morning, another great day...
I am grateful that I can still open my eyes and see the wonderful, colourful world...
I am grateful that I can still hear the wonderful sounds of the world, whispering the greatness of life to me...
I am grateful that I can still touch and hold, people and things alike...
I am grateful that I can still walk all over the place, without needing to use aids...
I am grateful that I can still cycle on my bike, without worrying about the tires falling out...
I am grateful that I can still eat the wonderful foods to nourish myself to full health, without worrying about hunger...
I am grateful that I can thank the people who had worked so hard to provide the food that is now on my table...
I am grateful that I have the time to read and gain whatever knowledge that I can gain about this world...
I am grateful that I am living in a peaceful place, a place where I don't have to be worry about being robbed in daylight...
I am grateful that I can listen to the wonderful music that I am listening to now...
I am grateful that I can call my dear dear, and hear her voice as if she is right there beside me...
I am grateful that I can still remember my past, teaching and guiding me so that I don't repeat my past mistakes...
I am grateful that I have lots of teachers who are very willing to guide me back to the correct path should I stray from it...
I am grateful that I am living in this wonderful, beautiful world...
i am grateful that I am living in an age when distances meant less that in the past due to its wonderful technologies...
I am grateful that I have a mother that supports me no matter what happens, one I can play and joke with all the time...
I am grateful that I can call my dear dear, and hear her voice as if she is right there beside me...

So, are you grateful?

seehua
*Let's create a world full of LOVE~

Journey called Life...(Ancient Wisdom)

Ever since thousands of years ago, the great teachers had passed down many values that had held lots of societies together. Values like respect, love, freedom with responsibilities, hospitality, mindfulness and lots more had been the pillars of many civilizations throughout their golden years.
Ever since the last century, these values were eroded more and more by people who think that 'freedom' means being free to anything that they want to/desired. The aftermath of this is how our society looks like now. Violence is a welcomed way to treat those who are not liked (gang wars, wars between civilizations), and the youths are blatantly ignoring warning of their elders and engage into sex and drugs without caring about the consequences.

In many ways, the ancient wisdoms can survive until today since thousands of years ago isn't a coincidence. They can survive because they work. Many of the principles still do apply at this modern age. The rules of society taught by the Lau Zhi such as respect and humbleness are still very relevant today, so is being mindful of our actions and consequences (The Buddha) as well as loving each other as if you love yourself (Jesus Christ). The fact that we are now modern and different from what society is 100 years ago doesn't mean that these values will have to change as fast. We can do thing differently, as long as the intentions are still good...

So, from now on, be mindful of your actions. If the intentions behind it are good, by all means, proceed with it. If they are bad, consider discarding it. Keep the decline in standards in check, use your freedom responsibly.

seehua
*Let's create a world full of LOVE~

When You Divorce Me, Carry Me Out in Your Arms

On my wedding day, I carried my wife in my arms. The bridal car stopped in front of our one-room flat. My buddies insisted that I carry her out of the car in my arms. So I carried her into our home. She was then plump and shy.. I was a strong and happy bridegroom.

This was the scene ten years ago.

The following days were as simple as a cup of pure water: we had a kid; I went into business and tried to make more money. When the assets were steadily increasing, the affection between us seemed to ebb. She was a civil servant. Every morning we left home together and got home almost at the same time. Our kid was studying in a boarding school.

Our marriage life seemed to be enviably happy. But the calm life was more likely to be affected by unpredictable changes.

Dew came into my life.

It was a sunny day. I stood on a spacious balcony. Dew hugged me from behind. My heart once again was immersed in her stream of love. This was the apartment I bought for her.

Dew said, "you are the kind of man who best draws girls' eyeballs." Her words suddenly reminded me of my wife. When we were just married, my wife said, "Men like you, once successful, will be very attractive to girls."

Thinking of this, I became somewhat hesitant. I knew I had betrayed my wife.. But I couldn't help doing so.

I moved Dew's hands aside and said "you go to select some furniture, O.K.? I've got something to do in the company." Obviously she was unhappy, because I had promised to do it together with her. At the moment, the idea of divorce became clearer in my mind although it used to be something impossible to me.

However, I found it rather difficult to tell my wife about it. No matter how mildly I mentioned it to her, she would be deeply hurt.

Honestly, she was a good wife. Every evening she was busy preparing dinner. I was sitting in front of the TV. The dinner was ready soon. Then we watched TV together. Or, I was lounging before the computer, visualizing Dew's body. This was the means of my entertainment.

One day I said to her in a slightly joking way, suppose we divorce, what will you do? She stared at me for a few seconds without a word. Apparently she believed that divorce was something too far away from her. I couldn't imagine how she would react once she got to know I was serious.

When my wife went to my office, Dew had just stepped out. Almost all the staff looked at my wife with a sympathetic eye and tried to hide something while talking to her. She seemed to have got some hint. She gently smiled at my subordinates. But I read some hurt in her eyes.

Once again, Dew said to me, "He Ning, divorce her, O.K.? Then we live together."

I nodded. I knew I could not hesitate any more.

When my wife served the last dish, I held her hand. I've got something to tell you, I said. She sat down and ate quietly. Again I observed the hurt in her eyes. Suddenly I didn't know how to open my mouth. But I had to let her know what I was thinking. I want a divorce. I raised the serious topic calmly.

She didn't seem to be annoyed by my words, instead she asked me softly, why? I'm serious. I avoided her question. This so-called answer made her angry.. She threw away the chopsticks and shouted at me, "you are not a man!"

That night, we didn't talk to each other. She was weeping. I knew she wanted to find out what had happened to our marriage. But I could hardly give her a satisfactory answer, because my heart had gone to Dew.

With a deep sense of guilt, I drafted a divorce agreement which stated that she could own our house, our car, and 30% stake of my company. She glanced at it and then tore it into pieces. I felt a pain in my heart. The woman who had been living ten years with me would become a stranger one day. But I could not take back what I had said.

Finally she cried loudly in front of me, which was what I had expected to see. To me her cry was actually a kind of release. The idea of divorce which had obsessed me for several weeks seemed to be firmer and clearer.

Late that night, I came back home after entertaining my clients. I saw her writing something at the table. I fall asleep fast. When I woke up, I found she was still there. I turned over and was asleep again.

She brought up her divorce conditions: she didn't want anything from me, but I was supposed to give her one month s time before divorce, and in the month's time we must live as normal a life as possible. Her reason was simple: our son would finish his summer vacation a month later and she didn't want him to see our marriage was broken.

She passed me the agreement she drafted, and then asked me, He Ning, "do you still remember how I entered our bridal room on the wedding day?" This question suddenly brought back all those wonderful memories to me. I nodded and said, I remember. "You carried me in your arms, she continued, so, I have a requirement, that is, you carry me out in your arms on the day when we divorce. From now to the end of this month, you must carry me out from the bedroom to the door every morning."

I accepted with a smile. I knew she missed those sweet days and wished to end her marriage romantically.

I told Dew about my wife s divorce conditions. She laughed loudly and thought it was absurd. No matter what tricks she does, she has to face the result of divorce, she said scornfully. Her words more or less made me feel uncomfortable.

My wife and I hadn't had any body contact since my divorce intention was explicitly expressed. We even treated each other as a stranger. So when I carried her out on the first day, we both appeared clumsy. Our son clapped behind us, daddy is holding mummy in his arms. His words brought me a sense of pain. From the bedroom to the sitting room, then to the door, I walked over ten meters with her in my arms. She closed her eyes and said softly, Let us start from today, don't tell our son. I nodded, feeling somewhat upset. I put her down outside the door. She went to wait for a bus, I drove to the office.

On the second day, both of us acted much more easily. She leaned on my chest. We were so close that I could smell the fragrance of her blouse. I realized that I hadn't looked at this intimate woman carefully for a long time. I found she was not young any more. There were some fine wrinkles on her face.

On the third day, she whispered to me, "The outside garden is being demolished. Be careful when you pass there."

On the fourth day, when I lifted her up, I seemed to feel that we were still an intimate couple and I was holding my sweetheart in my arms. The visualization of Dew became vague.

On the fifth and sixth day, she kept reminding me something, such as, where she put the ironed shirts, I should be careful while cooking, etc. I nodded. The sense of intimacy was even stronger. I didn't tell Dew about this.

I felt it was easier to carry her. Perhaps the everyday workout made me stronger. I said to her, It seems not difficult to carry you now. She was picking her dresses. I was waiting to carry her out. She tried quite a few but could not find a suitable one. Then she sighed, all my dresses have grown bigger. I smiled. But I suddenly realized that it was because she was thinner that I could carry her more easily, not because I was stronger. I knew she had buried all the bitterness in her heart. Again, I felt a sense of pain.. Subconsciously I reached out a hand to touch her head.

Our son came in at the moment. "Dad, it's time to carry mum out." He said. To him, seeing his father carrying his mother out had been an essential part of his life. She gestured our son to come closer and hugged him tightly. I turned my face because I was afraid I would change my mind at the last minute. I held her in my arms, walking from the bedroom, through the sitting room, to the hallway. Her hand surrounded my neck softly and naturally. I held her body tightly, as if we came back to our wedding day. But her much lighter weight made me sad.

On the last day, when I held her in my arms I could hardly move a step. Our son had gone to school. She said, "actually I hope you will hold me in your arms until we are old."

I held her tightly and said, "both you and I didn't notice that our life lacked intimacy."

I jumped out of the car swiftly without locking the door. I was afraid any delay would make me change my decision. I walked upstairs. Dew opened the door. I said to her, "Sorry, Dew, I won't divorce. I'm serious."

She looked at me, astonished. The she touched my forehead.

"You got no fever.." She said.

I moved her hand off my head. "Sorry, Dew, I said, I can only say sorry to you, I won't divorce. My marriage life was boring probably because she and I didn't value the details of life, not because we didn't love each other any more. Now I understand that since I carried her into the home, she gave birth to our child, I am supposed to hold her until I am old. So I have to say sorry to you."

Dew seemed to suddenly wake up. She gave me a loud slap and then slammed the door and burst into tears. I walked downstairs and drove to the office.

When I passed the floral shop on the way, I ordered a bouquet for my wife which was her favorite. The salesgirl asked me what to write on the card. I smiled and wrote, "I'll carry you out every morning until we are old."

touched?